Lithium discovered in historic Pozega village: Locals fear excavations could harm the environment

Photo: RINA

The village of Gornja Dobrinja in Pozega is the birthplace of Serbian Prince Milos Obrenovic, but in recent days it has become relevant not because of the anniversary of the Second Serbian Uprising, led by Prince Obrenovic - but because of geological exploration of lithium and boron, which should start in ten days at ten locations. The locals heard about all this only two days ago and, as say they have no idea what is happening to them.

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"If I'd died ten days ago, I wouldn't have known that the village where I was born and raised in has any deposits of ore and that some company would come to dig it up. We are not experts, but we've heard that these excavations can be harmful to the environment, to the air, water and soil. If you go through the village now and ask about that lithium in every house, I guarantee that 99 percent of the locals won't be able to tell you what that is about. Without any consultations, they just told us that certain geological surveys would be carried out in the territory of our village," Milisav Maksovic from the village of Gornja Dobrinja told RINA.

About 300 people live in this village, and the vast majority of them are farmers. Raspberries and potatoes are planted on tens of hectares, and barns are filled with quality cattle. A lot of young people have decided to stay in the village and earn their living here, so they are now wondering if they had made the right decision.

"I heard that lithium is mined at a depth of 700 meters, that it is obtained from ore and that the process of its exploitation is very complex and dangerous for all living things. We make a living here by selling raspberries, potatoes, milk, cheese and cream... if our soil and water is polluted, to whom can we sell anything? We still hope that these excavations will not take place at all or that we will receive official confirmation that they are not harmful to our health and the health of future generations," said Miladin Simeunovic.

Two out of the total of ten locations intended for digging are a meadow known as the Three Beeches, where the (WW2) headquarters of Draza Mihajlovic used to be located, and Matijevica Hill.

"Those meadows were sold by people who don' even live in Gornja Dobrinja at all, they don't care what happens to those of us who stayed here. I heard that something similar is happening in Loznica, so in the end it was said that these excavations are not harmful to the environment. We don't know what to think, but we're not at all indifferent. This village is a real natural oasis and we've lived peacefully and calmly until now," concluded Miladin.

The plan is for the Jadar Litijum (Lithium) company to carry out geological surveys, and the works should start on April 17. The local self-government of the municipality of Pozega is stressing that everything is being done according to the law and that this is not under its jurisdiction, but that of a relevant state ministry, and that these are investigative activities that would only determine whether there is lithium and boron in the territory of the Pozega villages. Apart from Gornja Dobrinja, surveys will be carried out in Donja and Srednja Dobrinja, as well as in the villages of Papratiste and Jezevica.

(Telegraf.rs)